Detachable plug coupler for electrical connections



Oct. 8, 1940. o. s. FIELD 2,217,219

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III/A. 1/ A I! (FIG-.5. u 12 14 21 iWIlIE-I 51 %VL%'T% z I ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 8, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DETACHABIJ'I PLUG COUPLER FOR ELEC- TRIOAL CONNECTIONS Oscar 8. Field. Rochester, N. Y., assignor to General Railway Signal Company, Rochester, N. Y.

Application December 22, 1937, Serial No, 181,184

for example, for the purpose of repair or the like, it is necessaryito disconnect them from the' external wires which, in theabsence of a plug coupler, involves considerable time and labor. with a plug coupler, permanent wire connections 15 can be retained, and the external wires can be separated from the mechanisms by merely pulling one part of a. detachable plug coupler away from its matching part.

The coupler forming the subject matter of the 30 present invention can be used in any situation where it is found desirable, but is contemplated as being of particular value in connection with light signals for railway use, where an outer casing receives an inner casing containing various 25 mechanisms which, from time to time, require inspection and, possibly, repair. In this case, a plug coupler such as to be described below, can be employed for connecting the inner casing with the external wires, and in the event of removing 80 the inner casing, the wires can be readily disconnected therefrom by merely separating the two parts of the coupler.

With the above considerations in mindyit is proposed, in accordance with this invention, to 35 provide aplug coupler of improved type, which can be cheaply and readily manufactured, and which is very dependable and durable in operation.

Further objects, purposes and characteristic 0 features of the invention will appear as the description progresses, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, showing, solely in a diagrammatic manner, and in no way whatsoever in a limiting sense, one form which the invention 45 can assume. In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of Fig. 2, with parts to the right of the line li of Fig, 2, removed therefrom.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view on the line 2-2 of 60 Fig. 1, viewed in the direction of the arrows, and

with parts shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of one portion of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 a sectional view, on the line 4-4 of 66 Fig. 3, viewed in the direction of the arrows, and

with parts shown in elevation and with the plug and socket parts interengaged.

Fig. 5 isa detailed view of a latch means em ployed in the coupling.

Fig. 6 is a detailed view of a wire connector I employed in the coupler.

Referring now to the drawing, the coupler comprising the present invention is of the quick detachable type, and is constituted by a plug part PP, and a socket part SP. These two parts 1 l are made of insulating material, such as Bakelite,

or the like, and are preferably moulded in the form shown.

The plug part, as shown in Fig. 2, is of a general elongated rectangular shape, with a flat inner face 3 and an outer or rear face which is cupped in, at 4, and carries transverse ribs 5, thereon, which, in the example given, are six in number, with each to carry two plug members P. Thus, the plug part in this case carries twelve plug members arranged in two longitudinal rows of six each.

The socket part has a flat inner face 6 and an outer face I, in which are moulded metallic socket members S, equal in number to the plug-members and similarly arranged. Matching grooves and rims, 8 and 9, on the plug part and the socket part, respectively,are provided to thereby facilitate accurately matching upjhe two parts when the plug members are in place within the socket members, and also to act asa seal to exclude dust y from the contacts.

Although the plug members, as will appear be low, are resihent, and have a frictional fit in the socket members, friction is not depended upon to keep the two parts of the plugmoupler accurately in place. For this purpose, a latch is provided at each end of the plug coupler.

one of the latches referred to, is shown in detailin Fig. 5, and comprises a threaded stud ill, with 40 a shoulder ii inwardly of the end thereof, and a bifurcated outer end l2, carrying a transverse pin it therein. Received on the pin i3, is a slot H, in a slide lock member i5,,having a corner It to bear against the inner end of the bifurcation I2, and hold the part ii in line with the stud 10, against the influence of gravity. Upon turning the lock member I5 counterclockwise on pin 13, member I5 is free to slide downwardly to receive the pin in the other end of the slot i I, and thus form a locking T head on the stud ill, the slot it being more toward one end of 15, than the other.

As shown in Fig. 2, at each end of plug part PP, is an opening formed to receive the stud l0, and the shoulder Ii, with a socket il, in the rear 66 as the parts are pushed together, so that the.

pin l3 and lock member l5 lie to the front of the base of groove 20, whereby member hi can be rocked upwardly and then allowed to slide downwardly upon pin l3, to bear against the bottom face of the groove 20, if desired, or to be slightly forwardly. spaced therefrom, if desired.

The lock member l5 drops either until it strikes 7 the lower end of groove 20, or, if the dimensions be otherwise, until pin l3 strikes the opposite end of slot .14. In any event, when the latches are properly in place, it is obvious that the socket part cannot be accidentally withdrawn from the plug part.

As stated above, each of the ribs 5 on the rear face of the plug part PP, receives two plug members P, and two wires 2|. Since each of these twelve plug members is identical, it is suflicient that but a single one be described in detail.

Each of the plug members P is formed of a thin strip orribbon of conducting metal, cut in the form shown best in Fig. 4, wherein the inner end is rectangular as at 22, followed by an outwardly projecting shoulder 23, and then followed by the relatively narrow portion 24 which, at its end 25, is further narrowed to facilitate bending it in the form of a loop, and decrease its stiffness when formed, as shown best in Fig. 2. The other side of the loop, and the other end, is similarly formed, with the two rectangular portions 22 pressed together and perforated to receive a holding bolt 26, passing through the rib 5 and receiving a nut 21 on the end thereof, to thereby clamp the plug member between the nut 21 and the rib 5, the plug member being passed inwardly, from the front to the back of the plug part, through apertures moulded in the face of the plug part, to receive the rectangular portion 22 and the stop shoulders 23, as best shown in Fig. 4.

' The heads 23, of the bolts 26, are preferably square, and are arranged to fit against locking stop shoulders 29 on the ribs 5, whereby to permit the bolts to be slid through .the openings in the ribs, but to prevent rotation of the bolt heads 26 as the nuts 21 are being tightened.

The wires 2|, which may lead to any desired place, but presumably will be connected to a mechanism to be operated, are fastened to connectors having ears 3| which can be pressed around the wire and then soldered in place. The ears 3i are preferably integral with a connector having a'fiat portion 32 and an angularly bent portion 33, with a slot 34 extending inwardly from the end of 33 and into 32, whereby to permit 'the connector to be slid downwardly over the boltand between the bolt head and the rib and be clamped in fixed position by the bolt 26. For

'each wire connector there is moulded or otherwise formed in the inner face of the plug part, a socket 36, of a rectangular form, as shown best in Fig. 1, and having a sloping face; as canbe seen best in Fig. 2, for receiving the bent portion 33 of the wire connectors, whereby to prevent the wire connectors from turning, if these were any tendency therefor, and due to the bent portion are pressed together, the two sides of the loop 33, to supplement friction in preventing the wires 2| from being pulled away from their clamped positions.

Considering now the socket part SP, as stated above, there is a socket member '8 for each of 5 the plug members P. Each socket member has a circular opening 36, of a diameter slightly greater than thewidth of the part 24 of the plug member, and substantially equal to or perhaps somewhat greater than the greatest width of the loop formed in the two parts 24 of the plug member, whereby to resiliently receive a plug member when the two parts of the coupling being compressed. This arrangement provides four independent high-pressure lines ofcontact for each circuit carried through the coupler.

As best seen in Fig. 4, each socket members, also is provided with'a threaded opening 31, to receive a threaded stem 38 of a connecting post 39, having a wrench receiving head 40, prefer-' ably of insulating material, whereby lead-in wires 4| can be securely clamped in electrical contact, to the socket members 5;

The plug receiving openings 36 and the threaded openings 31, one of each in each socket member S, are arranged at opposite sides of the center line of the member, as best seen in Figs. 1 and 4, and thus permit the plug members P, and the stems 38, to overlap and'decrease the depth of the complete coupler from front to back, and also to very considerably cheapen the cost of manufacture of the coupler, due to the economic use of the metal in the socket members S.

The heads 46, preferably of insulating material, on the posts 33, are preferably formed with outstanding collars 46, of insulating material, whereby to form ledges for receiving a locking rod 42,

of insulating material, fastened by a screw or the 40 ofresilient conducting material such -=as' bronze," or the like, and shapedasthey are, provide v'erydependable contacts with the receiving openings 36, when they are pushed into place. 7* i In theparticular form shown for illustrating the invention, it is contemplated. that the plug '60 part PP, will be fastened by screws or the like, passing through holes 45, to the mechanism casin of a light signal, such as shown for example, in Patent No. 2,097,785, granted November 2, i937, to O. S. Field, with the wires 2| leading to the 65 various devices withiri the mechanism casing. The posts 39, will clamp lead-in wires 4|, toethe socket members S, whereby, when the coupler-is employed, each of the wires 4| will be quickly, detaclably, connected electrically to one of the 70 wires 1.

The above rather specific description of one form of this invention has been given solely by way of example, and is not intended, in any manner whatsoever, in a limiting sense. It is obvi- 7r ly from the plug part, and the same s true offthe connections for thewires 2|. likewise, the. plug members P, formed as'.they are, of a'ribb'on '55 ous that various modifications, variations and adaptations can be made without departing from the scope and the spirit of the present invention as covered by the appended claims, and accordingly, it is to be understood that the present application intends to cover all such modifications, variations and adaptations as come within the scope of the present invention and within a reasonable interpretation of the language of the appended claims.

Having described my invention, I now claim:

1, In a quick detachable plug coupler, in combination, a plug'part, a socket part, a plurality of plug members carried by the plug part, a plurality of socket members carried by the socket part and positioned to receive the plug members, a latch on the plug part and including a projecting stem, a bifurcation at the outer end of the stem having an inner flat face, a pin spanning the bifurcation, an elongated lock head having -,n elongated closed slot received on the pin, and an angular flat face matching the inner flat face of the bifurcation and-preventing turning of the head on the pin, in one direction only, beyond the position at which the head is in line with said stem, and a hole in the socket part receiving the stemwhen the plug members are in their socket members with the end of the stem projecting beyond the front surface of the socket part, whereby the lock head can be turned and slid on the pin to form a cross head on the stem. 1

each socket member having an inwardly projecting shoulder below a fiat faced wrench receiving head, a lock bar formed to rest on each of the shoulders, between the two rows of sockets, with its two long edges bearing against a flat face on each of the heads to lock the heads against turning, and means for holding the lock bar in place.

3. In a quick detachable plug coupler, in combination, a socket part, at least four socket members carried by the socket part, the socket members being positioned in two, spaced, parallel rows, a clamping screw in each socket member having a shoulder projecting laterally inwardly toward the other row and below a flat faced wrench receiving head, a lock bar of rectangular cross section formed to rest on each of the shoulders, between the two rows of socket members, with its two long edges bearing against a flat face on each of the heads to lock the heads against turning, and readily removable means for releasably holding the lock bar in place.

4. In a plug coupler, in combination, a plug member, a receiving socket member, the socket member comprising an elongated metal piece drilled inwardly from one end toward the other to form a socket to receive the plug, and drilled andthreaded inwardly from the other end toward the one end to receive a,-wire connecting screw, the two drilled openings overlapping substantially their entire lengths, the plug member comprising an open ended loop formed of resilient metal ribbon having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said socket, and a maximum width of loop about equal to the diameter of said socket, the loop being in the form of an elongated oval, the metal ribbon at the outer end of the loop being decreased in width to facilitate closing of the loop as it is inserted into its socket member.

5. In a plug coupler, in combination, a plug member for cooperation with a receiving socket member, the plug member comprising an open ended loop formed of resilient metal ribbon having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said socket, a support for the loop, a rib on the support, a bolt clamping the open end of the loop against one side of the rib, and a wire connector for the loop including a fiat plate, a bifurcation in the plate to receive the shank of the bolt and be clamped against the rib by a nut on the end of the bolt shank, and a portion of the plate bent at an angle to the plane of the rib and the parallel face of the nut when in clamping position, to prevent the plate being pulled away from the bolt.

6. In a plug coupler, in, combination, a plug member for cooperation with the receiving socket member, the plug member comprising an open ended loop formed of resilient metal ribbon having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said socket, and a maximum width of loop about equal to the diameter of said socket, the loop being in the form of an elongated oval, the metal ribbon at the outer end of the loop being decreased in width to\ facilitate closing of the loop as it is inserted into its socket member, a support for the loop, a rib on the support, a bolt clamping the open end of the loop against one side of the rib, and a wire connector for the loop including a fiat plate, a bifurcation in the plate to receive the shank of the bolt and be clamped against the rib by a clamp nut on the shank of the bolt, and a portion of the plate bent at an angle to the plane of the rib to thereby prevent the plate being pulled away from the bolt and nut.

7. In a plug coupler, in combination, a'plug member for cooperation with a receiving socket member, the plug member comprising an open ended loop formed of resilient metal ribbon having a width somewhat less than the diameter of said socket, and a maximum width of loop about equal to thediameter of said socket, the loop being in the form of an elongated oval, the metal the rib, a wire connector for the loop including a flat plate, a bifurcation in the plate to receive the shank of the bolt and be clamped against the rib, a portion of the plate bent at an angle to the plane of the rib to prevent the plate being pulled away from the bolt,and an inclined socket in the support for receiving and supporting the bent portion of the plate.v

OSCAR s. FIELD. 

